social

Photos from the 2006 International Day of Protest Against Canada's Seal Hunt

March 16, 2006 | Seals

The protest was a great success! We had a huge turnout, with over 200 supporters who came out today-handing out all our flyers and getting all the postcards filled out by passerby. I was interviewed on camera by an AP reporter, so be on the lookout for coverage on TV. Nellie Mckay, the singer/songwriter/animal activist came to the protest and she was leading chants on the megaphone, and Joan (FoA staff) also led chants in five languages to represent the International support for the seals.

Photos by Edita Birnkrant.

Nellie Mckay at the 2006 protest, NYC.

2006 protest, NYC. Nellie Mckay on megahorn.

Nellie Mckay and others at the 2006 protest, NYC.

A protest held in Vancouver, Canada, 2006.

Foreign tourism brought in $18 billion in revenue to Canada in 2004, with a large portion coming from New England visitors. 78 million dollars was spent to boost the tourism industry—a figure far larger than the annual revenues from dead seals ($16.5 million). A foreign-tourism boycott supported by national animal advocacy groups would put pressure where it belongs—on the Canadian government—to end the seal hunt and the federal subsidies that support it.

People throughout the world - especially Canadians - should insist that the Canadian government stop the hunt subsidies immediately. Use the funds to build a real economic foundation for Newfoundlanders. Canada banned whale killing, and the economy adjusted. It's long past time to end the seal hunt. Respect marine life, and Newfoundland's human residents.

Pamela Wallin, Canadian Consulate General
1251 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY, United States 10020-1175
Telephone: 1.212.596.1628
Facsimile: 1.212.596.1790

Comments

Submitted by Ekrem SABAN on Tue, 2006-03-28 16:22

The barbarian government of Canada should be stopped by boycotting Canadian products all over the world!

Submitted by Go canada on Tue, 2006-03-28 18:00

It infruiates me when people call for the boycott of all Canadian products, you obviously have no idea the incredible amount of goods that Canada produces. If Canada's products are boycotted the whole world over, you would be crying about the price of gas, even if you take the transit fares will be hiked, ( Canada is a huge exporter of oil.
You would have to pay much more money for these nescessities wheat, barley, oilseed, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish. Not only that you wouldn't be helping anyone. Harper won't flip-flop on this issue, if he does the opposition will destroy him, and Canadians will lose faith in him. I would rather have around 300,000 seals shot then have a wish washy PM.
[Blog editors' note: Where have we heard this kind of rhetoric before?]

Submitted by Daniel on Wed, 2006-03-29 23:00

The issue isn't how much Canada produces - this isn't a personal "we don't like Canada" thing. The slaughter of these seals is wrong and we need to do what we can to stop it. Congratulations to FoA for helping keep this issue in the public consciousness.

Submitted by G. Thornberg on Fri, 2006-04-07 14:25

Human beings are the only ones that hunt on a full stomach. This seal hunt in cruel and horrible in every way and it need to end NOW. We don't have any rights to slaughter our beautiful wildlife. We should protect it and cherrish it. This commercial seal hunt just has to stop NOW. Boycott Canada until it stops this horrible act. There are other ways to make money.

Submitted by Nadine Saunders on Fri, 2006-04-07 15:37

Letter to The Mayor of St. John's
Canada
Dear Mr. Wells:
As you may or may not be aware, I recently handed in my birth certificate as a peaceful protest against the slaughter of young Seals.
I have family in Newfoundland. My aunt is getting married this summer and I had planned on driving down and going to see her celebrate this wondrous occasion. Now I have had to cancel my trip.
I have been insulted and threatened publicly by many Newfoundlanders since speaking out about this cruel hunt, and now I've gotten to the point where I am speaking out internationally on how I was treated, and how I am ashamed to call myself a Newfoundlander as a result.
The number of threatening hateful emails from people in Newfoundland has been very disturbing. What kind of people are living there these days... are they all this violent?
Perhaps the killing of baby seals has something to do with this violence? Numerous studies have shown the link between cruelty to animals and cruelty to each other. It's well documented by FBI studies on the topic.
Psychological studies have shown that individuals willing to inflict harm on animals are more likely to do so to humans. One of the known warning signs of certain psychopathologies, including anti-social personality disorder, also known as psychopathic personality disorder, is a history of torturing pets and small animals, a behavior known as zoosadism. According to the New York Times, "[t]he FBI has found that a history of cruelty to animals is one of the traits that regularly appears in its computer records of serial rapists and murderers, and the standard diagnostic and treatment manual for psychiatric and emotional disorders lists cruelty to animals a diagnostic as criterion for conduct disorders. "A survey of psychiatric patients who had repeatedly tortured dogs and cats found all of them had high levels of aggression toward people as well, including one patient who had murdered a young boy."
Is this not the same for those that murder and torture Seals?
My great-grandfather was from Tilting, Fogo Island, and both he as well as both my grandparents worked in this Seal Hunt industry. I am also well aware that some Newfoundlanders support this hunt. Many do not.
But considering how much economic devastation this will bring to the province in lost tourism dollars, is it not in the best interests of the province to end this once and for all?
Or, do you not care anymore, seeing that the oil fields are coming to fruition?
You should have never joined Confederation. You are an embarrassment to me, to every single Newfoundlander living outside the province, to the rest of this country, and to the whole world.
Nadine Saunders
Vancouver, BC

Submitted by Dustin Green on Sat, 2006-04-08 13:49

[Blog editors' note: Dustin Green is not in the "heart of all the action. " The action is bloody and it's on the ice floes. Dustin and his seal hunt apologists think seals are commodities, for commercial exploitation. Wrong, Dustin, and your commentary on morality is also lacking. Better stick to hairstyling. ]
Look... I live in the heart of all the action, in Newfounland canada, and I can't say that I really like the thought of any animal dying... but BE SENSIBLE PEOPLE!... SEALS are NOT wasted I really wish that these protesters would really do their homework. Not only is the coat used for coats, the meat IS used, and EATEN!, also, the oil is used, and pretty much everything else, I mean even the Chinese love the seal penis... now tell me again that its a wasted hunt. do i hunt seals ? NO, do i want to hunt seals? NO.. the point is... there is no pretty way to end an animals life. weather it be a cow, a moose, a carribu, chicken, even fish.. and lets not forget... the rabbit. whome which are left in a snair, and sometimes chew their own foot off to get away. its not pretty, but sometimes necissary... The seals population is enormus! and the fish in the atlantic waters are dwindiling. as the seal popul;ation keeps growing, the less food there will be for them.... so now you are left with thousands of starving etheopian seals all over the ice.. pretty? no. I am just so sick of "celebritys", who are VEGITARIANS, coming out and saying that we are barbarians and crap like that... even pamela anderson, i mean come on!! there is SEAL OIL IN BREAST IMPLANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the sad fact is, the only reason there is such a big focus on the hunt this year, is because the celebritys that are protesting are aged. nobody cares about them anymore, they suck, and are useless... STOP trying to force us to eat lettuce. we dont force you to eat meat...... if you dont like fur coats, dont wear it. if you dont want to have some flipper pie ( by the way, ewww) then don't eat it!, if you dont want to see the seals die, DONT BOTHER THE HUNTERS!!!!!! anyway, i think my main goal here is to just blow off my own steam, because i just hate how people who know NOTHING, AND I MEAN NOTHING!...again, i say NOTHING, about Canada's seal hunt continue to badger us over something so silly. how about you take all the donation money you recieve for these stupid protests, and go feed some hungry humans! GOD!..peace, love, and happiness to all. Dustin Green, age 24, newfoundland Canada. ( not a hunter, but a hairstylist)

Submitted by Paula Coddington on Sun, 2006-04-09 10:47

Go outside and use all your senses:
SIGHT
SMELL
TOUCH
TASTE
HEARING
Now start covering each one of your senses. What do you get.
EXACTLY!!!!
When we can't use our senses we lose our most important one,our THOUGHT!
This earth has been put together to form a chain of co-existence, that requires all of the animals (which includes humans) to share and grow as one. We can only LIVE with with all, but we can DIE without even ONE! All species need the other for LIFE! VOTE LIFE for OUR LIVES.

Submitted by Go canada on Mon, 2006-04-10 16:06

Exactly, couldn't have siad it better myself. If we stop killing the seals then the chain of life will be corrupted. Fisherman need the seals to get them through the times when the ice is frozen. Its the circle of life and I can't believe you guys are trying to stop that. Its been going on for millenias and it hasn't harmed the circle of life. It's not like you guys are protesting bears because they hunt salmon. How is this so different from the seal hunt.
[Blog editors' note: The circle of life ends when a homo sapien drives a spike through a seal pup's head because their government in Canada doesn't give a hoot about their livelihood, or much else other than cash from dead seals. The problem, Josh, is a moral one. The seals are not resources, or body parts for industry. They're not yours to massacre. It can't be justified.

Submitted by Terry Maillet on Thu, 2006-04-13 09:59

Shamefull, how can anyone justify such cruelty.I am a vegan and I do not eat seafood anyway.However I will never vacation In Canada (which I did 5 years ago )again until this murdering of God's creatures is stopped for good.

Submitted by rebecca on Sun, 2006-04-16 00:18

so can we take people out in the middle of the street and club them? these are animals who have no idea what is happening to them. it is disgusting how they smile to watch an animal slowly die. do we like pain and suffering? no. so why should they? these are beautiful creatures and mothers of those creatures must watch in agony as their babies are beaten senseless and wither in pain. i dont understand you people who are for this. livestock are meant to be eaten for meat. that is their purpose and they do not suffer when it comes time to go to that pasture in the sky. seals are here to balance out nature, not to die a slow and horrible death. people say they are killed to help maintain their growing population. the world is overpopulated but does that give anyone the right to end our lives? just remember, you must answer to someone higher eventually and you know the saying PAYBACK IS ALWAYS HELL!!!!!!!!!!!
[Blog editors' note: Animals called livestock are bred and consumed, but there's plenty of reasons to abolish animal agriculture -- to benefit animals, the environment, health, and to better feed the world's hungry, ever-increasing human population.